A running moment this morning brought me to tears

I’m currently in my flow. Running every morning again gives me exactly the energy I need for the day. Without my daily running dose, I’m only half as good in everyday life. At least that’s how I feel. I’ve often written here in the column about what running with my dogs gives me. However, something has changed over the years. Not all fur noses still run with me. So there has been a new ritual for some time.

While my wife goes for a leisurely walk with our “oldies” Spagna and Bilbo, I grab the two young bundles of energy Pelle and Bella. After the morning run they are much more balanced. It’s hard for Bilbo and Spagna not to be allowed on the track with me anymore. They would love to be there, you almost have to force them not to follow us.

Cold morning. fed up with sun And an inner conflict.

It’s weird for me too not having Spagna and Bilbo by my side anymore. Above all, Spagna accompanied me from day one, since I started running regularly again. She is now almost fifteen years old. The snout is white, she hardly hears anything anymore, but otherwise she is perfectly healthy and incredibly fit. This morning her inner conflict was particularly great. Like me, she loves cold things Wetter and sunshine. When spring is in the air, it’s the perfect day. But only if it starts with a decent run. My dog ​​also has it stored in her DNA. So some things must have come together this morning. Things she loves that she obviously missed a lot.

When I grabbed the leash and called Pelle and Bella to me, Spagna suddenly stood in the door as well. Even today it was clear to me at first: ten kilometers is now too much for this wonderful dog. A little hesitantly, I sent her back to her seat. She gave me that doggy look that completely rips your heart out. I know that look, of course, but today it was different. more intense. The sun was shining, it was freezing cold, I opened the door, called Bella and Pelle and ran. With a bad conscience.

A brown bolt of lightning shot past me

While I felt the first cold breaths and my body relaxed, the guilty conscience also disappeared. It was like it always is when running: the feeling of freedom creeps up on you. I hadn’t gone 400 meters when a brown bolt of lightning whizzed past Pelle, Bella and me. It was Spagna. I haven’t seen her run that fast in a long time. Then my cell phone rang. It was my wife: “I couldn’t hold her. I opened the door, Bilbo was thinking a lot, but there was no stopping Spagna. “I’ll take her with me, that’s fine.” I panted back.

The tears just ran down my face. Spagna jumped around me for sheer joy, she snuggled up to my leg, leaned firmly against me, and there he was again: the faithful look that went to my core. A look full of happiness and contentment. A look as if to say, “I’m your girl. You don’t run without me! Did you understand that?”.

8 kilometers can go by so quickly

“I have understood. let’s walk through the sun Just like we’ve been doing for 13 years. And I promise: From now on I’ll take you with me regularly,” I whispered into Spagna’s long ears. So we started walking. And as always, Spagna was the fastest of them all. She raged, she sniffed, her charisma showed her bliss. Of course I shortened the route a bit. Despite all the emotions, this magical moment did not let me become careless. Too long a distance just wouldn’t have been okay for them. The eight kilometers simply went by far too quickly. feeling we flew these 8000 meters effortlessly, without even feeling the effort.

When I got home, I revived an old ritual: I thank each of the dogs for the run. Especially long at Spagna. She also got two treats as a reward.

It’s noon now. While I’m writing down this running moment, it’s snoring happily a few meters away. It’s Spagna. She has been sleeping for hours, happily. Satisfied. I’ve never been so happy to snore.

That’s how it works.

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